Ancient coral may have been the first glow-in-the-dark creatures, study finds [Video]

• A recent study suggests that deep-sea corals from 540 million years ago might have been the first animals to glow.
• Marine creatures use light for various purposes, such as startling predators, luring prey and finding mates.
• Soft coral species in the deep sea exhibit bioluminescence, which researchers studied using remote-controlled underwater rovers.

Many animals can glow in the dark. Fireflies famously blink on summer evenings. But most animals that light up are found in the depths of the ocean.

In a new study, scientists report that deep-sea corals that lived 540 million years ago may have been the first animals to glow, far earlier than previously thought.

“Light signaling is one of the earliest forms of communication that we know of — it’s very important in deep waters,” said Andrea Quattrini, a co-author of the study published Tuesday in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

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